Hiroaki
The Heir is Born Hiroaki was born to Empress Rena and her consort on a mild spring day, immediately becoming the Crown Prince. His mother was the niece of the former Emperor, a man named Musashi, making her the one with the strongest claim to the throne of the destroyed country of Oka no Kuni. His grandmother was Hone-onna, also known as the Princess Makoto, the assassin of her mother's forebear. Many feared that the Crown Prince would inherit his grandmother's insanity and cruelty, but many found him to be an even-tempered infant. His mother and father doted on him, taking his upbringing upon themselves rather than handing him off to nurses and nannies. All of his firsts were thanks to the efforts of his parents, not their servants. In fact, they didn't have many to begin with. His mother saw to it that the Royal Family be humbled and used stored riches to help the impoverished of Oka no Kuni find new footing. His birth helped to stabilize the peace between the Noble Families; many were not fond of the Empress's pick of a husband, the man not being of noble birth let alone from Oka no Kuni. His origins are mostly rumors; he said that he was born to a merchant who was from another country and his wife, a woman of Oka no Kuni descent. Others claimed that he was a foreigner himself. Despite protests, the Empress married the man out of love. he became active in the lives of the common folk, accompanying his wife on official business and making suggestions as to how to help them. Rise of the Boy King On a cold winter's day, when Hiroaki was three years old, Empress Rena went into labor with her second child. The baby was early and the labor long and intense. It was the first time Hiroaki came into the care of nannies, his father breaking tradition and being with his mother during the birth process. He felt so lost without his parents. Days went by and he never saw his mother while barely seeing his father. Every night, he cried himself to sleep. On the third day, he could hear his father screaming at someone. He became frightened, having never heard his father raise his voice before. There was crashing and thumping around until finally, the Head of each Noble Family entered his room, Lord Fukatani carrying a trinket he had seen his mother wear on a pillow (Mystic Safety Bell). His mother had told him how each ruler, save for Emperor Musashi, held onto it to protect the people from evil. The Heads bowed to him, expressing their sympathies over the death of his mother; the cold revelation went over the toddler's head at first. He asked for his mother and father, but was told that he would never seen them again; his mother died and his father had "run off". As he began to cry, Lord Aoyama struck him, telling him that Emperors don't cry. Thus began the education and upbringing of Emperor Hiroaki. However, the boy had inherited his mother's sensitivity. When he met his little sister, he was immediately taken with her. Princess Hitomu closely resembled their mother, having her lavender eyes. He vowed to protect his little sister, no matter what. The two of them were raised by nannies and educated by members of the Nobility in an attempt to erase the influence of Empress Rena and her "common" consort. However, the lessons his parents taught him stuck, the memories of their love strong. He took it upon himself to tell Hitomu all about their parents. The years passed and the siblings became inseparable, many noting the difference between their relationship and that of Emperor Musashi and Princess Hone-onna. Hitomu idolized her brother, always trying to compete with him and copy him. As Hiroaki has gotten older, he has begun to become more involved in the governance of Oka no Kuni. The Tragic Blessing of Princess Hitomu Princess Hitomu was born in the dead of winter on an especially biting day. Her mother, Empress Rena, had been in labor with her for a total of three days, a large toll being taken on her body. The Empress had always been on the frail side and had been battling a fever as she went into labor. The infant Princess was born healthy, much to the relief of the Empress and her husband, but Empress Rena took a turn for the worse; she began to hemorrhage, the bleeding getting out of control. Her attending physicians tried desperately to save her, but it was too late; the young Empress and mother passed from blood loss. Her father was beside himself, begging her to come back to life. Hitomu was whisked away by one of the attending midwives. When her father came to his senses, he demanded to see his son and daughter, only to be taken by force from the capitol. No one knows what became of the poor man; he disappeared, never to be heard from again. The Princess would grow up being told that their father had run out on them after the death of their mother, but Hiroaki insisted that this was not the case. Other than her brother's stories, she has no idea about what her parents were actually like, instead spending her time dreaming about how things would be if they were alive. Her education was rather conservative, focusing less so on politics and more on being the wife of a noble and the arts. However, she has proven to be rambunctious, tagging along to her brother's lessons. She wants nothing more than to be treated the same as her brother, the Emperor. However, this doesn't make her antagonistic towards her brother, unlike their grandmother. In fact, she does nothing but support her brother, being a source of encouragement. Very often, Hitomu is compared to Hone-onna, given the similar circumstances of their births; both took the lives of their mother in extreme weather and are second-borns. She often comes to the defense of Hiroaki when others are critical of him. Many have remarked on her resemblance to their mother. Only time will tell how Princess Hitomu will turn out. Appearance '''Hiroaki: '''The Young Emperor is ten years old, thin but healthy. Due to his upbringing, he has been trained in military fitness, making him athletic. He has yellow eyes like his grandmother, but supposedly his father had them as well. He also shares the same black hair as his sister and father. He is pale, being forced to spend a lot of his time indoors. '''Hitomu: '''The Princess is seven years old and appears to be frail. She has lavender eyes that look as though they're glowing in the dark sometimes. Like her father and brother, her hair is black and her skin is pale. She is extremely nimble and rumored to be much more athletic than her older brother, enjoying running races and climbing trees. 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